“He’s more relaxed,” Daniel Alfredsson said. “He doesn’t force it, it’s just happening and he’s got a natural talent for finding the right spots on the ice.”

Nyquist has scored nine goals over his last nine games, which matches his goal total over the first 63 games of his career.

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“He’s had some great opportunities,” Alfredsson said. “He’s one of those guys that are tough to defend against because he skates so well.”

Nyquist also has four assists in that nine-game stretch.

Much of Nyquist’s success of late is due in large part to his linemates – Zetterberg, who centers the line, and Justin Abdelkader.

“It’s fun to play with those guys for sure,” Nyquist said. “We all know what our jobs are on the line. I think (Abdelkader) doesn’t get enough credit for what he does for us. He’s a big body, first guy on the forecheck, wins a lot of loose pucks, always in front of the net screening the goalie. Z obviously does his thing and makes plays. I just try to find an open spot.”

Over the last four games, Abdelkader has three goals and an assist, while Zetterberg has collected three assists.

“I think it’s a good mix of forwards,” Zetterberg said. “Abby works real hard for me and Gus gives us a lot of space and room, gives us the puck. Gus has been on fire. It’s fun to see. The opportunity he got here, he really took advantage of it, and he puts the puck away, scores goals. He works really hard. I think both of them keep me a little younger. It is fun to play with two speedsters like that.”

Due to the Wings’ roster size, Nyquist began the year in Grand Rapids because he didn’t have to clear waivers to be sent down.

He didn’t play his first game until Nov. 21 and potted two goals. That’s when the Wings decided to keep him in Detroit.

“It is fun to play with them because they do the right things, they’re in the right spots and they put the puck away when they get a chance,” Zetterberg said. “It’s been a fun stretch, hopefully we can continue with one more before the break.”

Due to his hot play of late, Nyquist was added to Sweden’s roster for the Olympics, replacing Johan Franzen.

Datsyuk OK in return

Wings coach Mike Babcock limited Pavel Datsyuk to under 14 minutes of ice time in his first game after missing 14 straight games due to some sort of knee injury.

He also had Datsyuk playing wing, which is where he’ll most likely go back to in the finale against Tampa Bay Saturday before the Olympic break.

“He’s normally a 20-minute guy,” Babcock said. “We played him on the wall because he wanted to. He practiced in the middle (Friday) but I think he’s going to play on the wall again. We’ll just see how he does.”

Datsyuk said he’s hoping to return to center.

“If he trusts me more I’ll play more minutes,” Datsyuk said. “It’s much better to be on the ice, not (as) nervous, than being off ice and (watching) game.”

Red hot of late

The Wings are 6-2-2 over their last 10 games.

“Ever since that West Coast trip (in early January) we started to play a little better, kept it a lot simpler,” Zetterberg said. “It may have taken a while to figure out who we should play, what works and what doesn’t. Little things have been much better. We’ve been scoring some goals.”

Their hot play of late has kept them thick in the race for one of two wild card spots in the playoffs.

“When we play the right way and we have all our pieces together we’re a really good team,” Niklas Kronwall said. “What other people think and feel about us doesn’t concern us so much. We know what we have in here, it’s a matter of going out and doing it every night. As of late we’ve been doing a lot of good things.”

Heading into play Friday, Detroit held down the last of two wild card spots, but was only a point ahead of Columbus and Ottawa.

“We believe in each other, we believe in the structure we have,” Kronwall said. “When we do it right we’re a really good team. I think we’ve shown that at times, it’s a matter of doing it night after night.”

Send comments to chuck.pleiness@macombdaily.com and visit his blog at redwingsfront.wordpress.com